Koalas Need Your Help!

Have you spotted a koala lately? Would you be prepared to help Council learn more about our koalas, how they’re doing and where they currently can still be found in the Coffs Harbour local government area?

“Council is undertaking a survey as a vital part of the groundwork to review our Koala Plan of Management which was adopted by council in 2000. The survey and information from the community and landholders will help us update our knowledge of exactly where koalas can be found locally,” said Coffs Harbour City Council’s Local Planning Section Leader Sharon Smith.

“As well as the general community survey, consultants will be conducting field surveys of private land based on historic koala records and some landholders will already have received letters requesting permission to undertake a site survey within their property”.

“We’d encourage everyone to get involved in the koala survey and log their findings to our Koala Register at https://haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/Koala-Register It’s a great way to help Council to conserve a much loved and iconic Australian species. We are very lucky to be living with Koalas and we’re excited to be starting this project.”

Coffs Harbour City Council was the first council in NSW to adopt a Koala Plan of Management back in 2000 with the aim of encouraging the proper conservation and management of koala habitat areas to help protect these important animals and, ultimately, promote growth in their populations.

Last year, an independent review commissioned by the NSW Government also named Coffs Harbour as one of a number of areas with a significant koala population.

That same review revealed that koala populations are under increasing pressure and have declined in many parts of NSW by an estimated 26% over the past 15 to 21 years. Without positive management actions this level of decline is likely to continue.

To register your sightings, go to https://haveyoursay.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/Koala-Register

The revised draft Koala Plan of Management is due to be completed by June 2020.

For more information please contact council on 02 6648 4000.